The Definitive Guide to Living in the Capital , Cairo , Egypt

If every business that
opened in Cairo was as lovingly cultivated as this new jewel box of a gelato
bar is, the city would be a better place. Just in time for summer, Stavolta has
opened its sliding doors to offer Cairenes its incredibly delicious homemade
Italian gelato.

As a tiny shop located
on a side street near Subway and NGSB in Maadi Degla, Stavolta is easy to miss.
But make sure you don’t, because this reviewer believes that Stavolta has the
best gelato and ice cream in Cairo. The shop is divided into two sections;
the display case, where lucky visitors choose from a selection of over 30
flavours each day, not to mention homemade cones, tiramisu cakes, panna cotta
and handmade popsicles; and the kitchen, where passersby can watch Stavolta’s
expert staff work their magic.

The all-Egyptian staff
was trained to create authentic gelato by an Italian chef brought over for that
express purpose. This was a good investment; as these talented gelato-makers
now offer desserts on par with the best of Rome. At 10LE for a scoop in a
cup or cone, Stavolta offers a truly unique and lovingly crafted summer treat.

Stavolta’s flavour
repertoire is impressive, with 60 varieties ranging from traditional Italian
offerings like mascarpone and la dolce vita to Egyptian-influenced selections
like karkadeh and tamarind. The best choices depend purely on your personal
taste; it’s difficult to go wrong with any flavour at Stavolta. The welcoming
staff is happy to let you try as many flavours as you want before making a
selection, but be warned; each one is so delicious that this makes choosing even
more difficult.

While most of the
options are creamy and milk-based (though still light and refreshing),
Stavolta’s milk-free sorbets are a delicious dairy-free option. Their
watermelon sorbet is out of this world; we challenge you to find anything more
refreshing on a summer’s day, and the carrot-lemon-orange flavour is also
surprisingly refreshing and tasty.

On the richer side, it
doesn’t get much better than Stavolta’s dark chocolate gelato. Chocolate lovers
beware; this might just become your favourite fix. The creamy guava option is
beautifully smooth and bursting with flavour, and the coconut cream offers a pleasing
texture. Other selections include coffee, milk chocolate, white chocolate,
cheesecake, peanut butter, pistachio, caramel, banana, cantaloupe, lemon and much
more.

Stavolta is the best
dessert newcomer to Maadi in years; locals will find it difficult to stay away
even for a day.